Aamir urges PM to rein in people spreading hatred

PTI | New Delhi
|
March 06, 2016

Bollywood star Aamir Khan

Days after his intolerance remarks, Bollywood star Aamir Khan on Saturday said India is "very tolerant" but there are people who spread hatred and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein them in.

The actor also believes that he still continues to be country's brand ambassador even though the government may have discontinued his services, saying India is his mother and not a brand.

"Our country is very tolerant, but there are people who spread ill-will...Those who speak of breaking up this vast country, such people are present in all religions, only Modiji can stop them. After all, Modiji is our PM, we have to tell him," he told Rajat Sharma in his 'Aap ki Adalat' show on India TV, according to a press release issued by the channel.

Aamir said a sense of security comes from the justice system, which should ensure speedy justice, and from elected representatives who should raise their voice when something goes wrong.

"After all, law is equal for all, and nobody is above law. Unfortunately, there are some people who spread negativity and hatred. If I am not wrong, our Prime Minister has also expressed concern. His slogan is 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'," he said.

The actor, who hit headlines with his remarks that his wife was thinking of leaving India over growing intolerance, also replied to megastar Amitabh Bachchan's remark that he damaged India's brand identity by his statement, saying there was a feeling of insecurity due to growing intolerance.

"I had said in my interview that there was a sense of depression, a sense of despondency, a feeling of insecurity and intolerance was growing. But these are entirely two different things," he said.

He added that he was "wongly quoted" and said, "I never said India was intolerant, I was wrongly quoted...To say about rising intolerance and to say India is intolerant are two different things."

Claiming to continue serving as India's brand ambassador even after government discontinued him, the superstar said, "For me, my motherland is my mother, it cannot be a brand. I can never view my mother as a brand. It could be a brand for other people, but not for me. Till this date, I continue to be India's brand ambassador, even the government may have discontinued me."

He said for 10 years he was brand ambassador for 'Incredible India's Atithi Devo Bhavo campaign' and never charged a penny for all his public service campaigns for the country and nor will he charge in future.

Aamir also asked media and news channels not to air news about violence on TV as it creates an atmosphere of fear.

"Every Indian is infected with fear. I would also appeal to media not to highlight such violence, as it creates a sense of insecurity and fear among common people," he said.

On his wife Kiran Rao expressing her intent to leave India due to insecurity, Aamir said he and his wife were not going anywhere and have been born here and will die in India, but said, "After all, Kiran is a mother, a mother always worries about her children."

"Often we speak so many things among ourselves, but that does not mean, we take 100 per cent action on them. Now was that our intention. Kiran has actually expressed a feeling, an emotion, and we were born here, and we will die here. We are not going to leave our country, let me make it clear,"he said.

The superstar went on to say that whenever people try to divide, "we should become alert, and should beware as to why we are being reminded that we are Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh. After all, we are all Indians. We have to be on our quard."

Seeking to clarify that there was intent on his or his director's part on purportedly denigrating Hindu religion in his film 'PK', he said, "It was only a character playing the role of Shiva in a play, who was made fun of, in a particular situation. After all, Lord Shankar is Almighty, how can we dare to make fun of him?."

The actor said he fully empathised with the cause of Kashmiri Pandits. "My heart cries even today for them. It is shameful, and I appeal to people living in the Valley to bring the Kashmiri Pandits back."